Sound reflecting device



July 5, 1966 J. A. GERWICK 3,259,204

SOUND REFLECTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 21, 1964 JEH- 5 INVENTOR JAMES A.GERWICK 8%,! m. MW

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,259,204 SOUND REFLECTING DEVICE James A. Gerwick, 682 Radar Squadron, Almaden Air Force Station, New Almaden, Calif. Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,719 4 Claims. (Cl. 18120) The present invention relates in general to audio devices, and more particularly to a sound reflecting device for speech practice.

Public speakers desire to practice a speech and hear the speech as it would be heard by the audience. For this purpose, the person practicing a speech would employ a sound reflecting device that enables the user to hearhis voice as it would be heard by other persons. Generally, however, sound reflecting devices are too expensive to be used extensively by students and other persons interested in public speaking. Moreover, the cost of such devices limits the use thereof to group use and thus the student or speaker is generally unable to have his own sound reflecting device. Moreover, the conventional sound reflecting device is of such a construction that it does not readily permit the student or user to carry the sound reflecting device with facility.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to pro vide a sound reflecting device for speech practice that is economical to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sound reflecting device for speech practice that can lbe transported with facility and installed with ease of oper- FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the sound reflecting device of the present invention mounted on the face of the user.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the sound reflecting device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sound reflecting device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view partial-1y in elevation illustrating a sound collecting and directing means employed in the sound reflecting device of the present invention.

Illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 is the sound reflecting device of the present invention, which comprises a mask adaptable for engagement with the face of the user. For securing the sound reflecting device 10 to the head of the user, a suitable elastic band is attached to transversely opposite portions of the mask 15. Disposed within the mask 15 is a sound collecting and directing means 25, which serves to collect and direct the sound produced by the user in speaking into the confronting mask 15 to the ears of the user through a pair of sound conduits or flexible tubes 30 and 35.

The pair of sound conduits or flexible tubes 30 and 35 are in communication with the sound collecting and directing means 25. At the free ends of the tube-s 30 and 35 are ear plugs 40 and 45, respectively, which are adaptable for insertion into the ears of the user. Optionally, a microphone 50 may be disposed within the mask 15 adjacent to the sound directing and collecting means for connection to a suitable sound recording device, not shown, such as a tape recorder.

The mask 15 is made of suitable material, such as 3,259,204 Patented July 5, 1966 plastic, and comprises a triangularly shaped face confronting wall having legs 51, 52 and 53. The wall of the mask 15 defined by the legs 51 and 52 has a configuration conforming to the contour of the forward portion of the users face and particularly the portion of the users face surrounding the nose and the month. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the engagement of the wall of the mask 15 defined by the legs 51 and 52 is in tight fitting or flush relationship. On the other hand, the portion of the wall of the mask defined by the leg 53 is spaced from the face or chin of the user so as to permit a passageway or an access for the inhaling and the exhaling of air. It is to be observed that the forward wall of the mask 15 projecting from the wall defined by the legs 51-53 is spaced from the face of the user so as to form a sound chamber within the mask 15 Mounted within the mask 15 in fixed relation therewith is the sound directing and collecting means 25, which includes a cylindrical case or housing 60. The housing 60 is caused to adhere to the inner wall of the mask' 15 by suitable means, such as an epoxy resin. The mask 15 confines the sound produced by the wearer to a restricted area while the compartment 60 receives the sound created by the wearer and provides the direct path for the passage of the sound to the ears through the tubes 30 and 35, thereby affording an improved fidelity transmission to the ears of the wearer. A perforated cover 61 is threadably secured to the cylindrical housing 60 and confronts the mouth of the user. Interposed between the cover 61 and the confronting wall of the cylindrical housing 60 is a vibrating disk or diaphragm 62 which serves to reinforce the sound received by the housing 60 through the perforated cover 61. From this arrangement, the sound of the user speaking transmitted into the chamber of the mask 15 is collected and directed to5 the ear of the user through the flexible tubes 30 and 3 Communicating with the sound collecting and directing means 25 are the sound conduits or the flexible tubes 30 and 35, which are respectively attached at one end thereof to the peripheral wall of the housing 60 and sealed thereinto by suitable means, such as epoxy resin. At the free ends of the flexible tubes 30 and 35 are the ear plugs 40 and 45, respectively, which are adaptable for insertion into the ears of the user.

Optionally, the suitable microphone 50 may be disposed within the mask 15 and attached either to the sound collecting and directing means 25 or the inner wall of the mask 15. Connected to the microphone 50 would be a suitable audio recording device, such as a tape recorder, not shown. For securing the sound reflecting device- 10 to the head of the user, the elastic band 20 has the free ends thereof attached to the mask 15 in transversely spaced relation. This can be accomplished through a clip or by causing the free ends of the band 20 to adhere to the wall of the mask 15 defined by the legs 51 and 52.

In the operation of the sound reflecting device 10 of the present invention, the user places the mask 15 at the forward portion of his face with the wall of the mask 15 defined by the legs 51 and 52 in flush contact with the area between the mouth and the nose and with the sound collecting and directing means'25 confronting the mouth of the user. The elastic band 20 is then placed around the head of the user so that the mask 15 may be firmly retained on the head of the user. Thereupon, the user places the ear plugs 40 and 45 in his ears. Now, the user talks into the sound reflecting device 10 in the manner in which he would speak if he were to make a speech and the sound is then transmitted to his ears and is heard as if the listener were a person in the audience listening to the user. The sound collecting and directing 3 means 25 receives the sound energy from the user while 'he talks and reinforces the sound. Thereupon, the sound energy is conducted through the flexible tubes 30 and 35 for transmission to the ear plugs 40 and 45, respectively. The sou'nd energy transmitted through the' ear plugs 40 and 45 are received by the user in the conventional and well-known manner.

It is understood that modifications and variations of the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein may be resorted tov Without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A sound reflecting device comprising a mask adapted to confront the mouth of the user and to confine the sound created by the user to a predetermined region, means attached to said mask adapted to detachably secure said mask to the head of the user, sound conducting means projecting into said mask to conduct sound to the ears of the user, a compartment mounted within said mask to form a chamber between said mask and the mouth of the user and connected to said sound conducting means in communication therewith to receive sound created by the user and to direct the sound to said sound conducting means, a diaphragm disposed within the chamber of said compartment, and a perforated cover mounted on said compartment confronting the mouth of the user.

2. A sound reflecting device comprising a mask adapted to confront the mouth of the user and to confine the sound created by the user to a predetermined region, means attached to said mask adapted to detachably secure the mask to the head of the user, sound conducting tubes projecting into said mask to guide the passage of sound from said mask, ear plugs connected to said sound conducting tubes and adaptable for insertion into the ears of the user, a compartment having a perforated cover confronting the mouth of the user,sa-id compartment being mounted within said mask to form a chamber be tween said mask and the mouth of the user and connected to said sound conducting tubes in communicating therewith to receive sound created by the user and to direct the sound to said sound conducting tubes, and a diaphragm disposed within the chamber of said compartment.

3. A sound reflecting device comprising a mask adapted to confront the mouth of the user and to confine the sound created by the user to a predetermined region, said mask being formed with a wall having one portion thereof contoured for flush fitting relation with the face of the user and having another portion thereof spaced from the face of the user to form a passageway for the inhaling and exhaling of .air, means attached to said mask adapted to detachably secure the mask to the head of the user, sound conducting means projecting into said mask to conduct sound to the ears of the user,

a compartment having a perforated cover confronting the mouth of the user, said compartment being mounted within said mask to form a chamber between said mask and the mouth of the user and connected to said sound conducting means in communication therewith to receive sound created by the user and to direct sound to said sound conducting means, and a diaphragm disposed within the chamber of said compartment.

4. A sound reflecting device comprising a mask adapted to confront the mouth of the user and to confine the sound created by the user to a predetermined region, said mask being formed with a wall having one portion thereof surrounding the mouth and nose of the user and contoured for flush fitting relation with the face of the user, said mask also being formed with another portion spaced from the face of the user to form a passageway for the inhaling and exhaling of air, means attached to said mask and adapted to detachably secure the mask to the head of the user, sound conducting tubes projecting into said mask to guide the passage of sound from said mask, ear plugs connected to said sound conducting tubes and adaptable for insertion into the ears of the user, a compartment having a perforated cover confronting the mouth of the user, said compartment being mounted within said mask to form a chamber between said mask and the mouth of the user and connected to said sound conducting means in communication therewith to receive sound created by the user and to direct the sound to said sound conducting tubes, and a diaphragm disposed within said chamber of said compartment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 189,450 12/ 1960 Cousino 181-20 X D. 193,343 8/1962 MacFarlane 181- 20 X 987,563 3/ 1911 Fields. 1,494,019 5/1924. Rasmussen 181-20 2,526,177 10/1950 Webb 181-21 X 2,566,313 9/1951 Cates 181-22 2,904,640 9/1959 Dreher et a1 179-156 3,140,754 7/1964 Motsinger 181-31 FOREIGN PATENTS 343,637 11/1921 Germany. 239,781 3/ 1946 Switzerland.

OTHER REFERENCES Publication: The Voiciphone, The Scientific American, February 1923, vol. 128-, No. 2, page 117.

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, Examiner.

STEPHEN J. TOMSKY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SOUND REFLECTING DEVICE COMPRISING A MASK ADAPTED TO CONFRONT THE MOUTH OF THE USER AND TO CONFINE THE SOUND CREATED BY THE USER TO A PREDETERMINED REGION, MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID MASK ADAPTED TO DETACHABLY SECURE SAID MASK TO THE HEAD OF THE USER, SOUND CONDUCTING MEANS PROJECTING INTO SAID MASK TO CONDUCT SOUND TO THE EAR OF THE USER, A COMPARTMENT MOUNTED WITHIN SAID MASK TO FORM A CHAMBER BETWEEN SAID MASK AND THE MOUTH OF THE USER AND CONNECTED TO SAID SOUND CONDUCTING MEANS IN COMMUNICATION THEREWITH TO RECEIVE SOUND CREATED BY THE USER AND TO DIRECT THE SOUND TO SAID SOUND CONDUCTING MEANS, A DIAPHRAGM DISPOSED WITHIN THE CHAMBER OF SAID COMPARTMENT, AND A PERFORATED COVER MOUNTED ON SAID COMPARTMENT CONFRONTING THE MOUTH OF THE USER. 